Child Care Aware® Of Missouri Selects LUME Institute

St. Louis, MO, June 2, 2011: Child Care Aware® of Missouri, the state Child Care Resource and Referral Network, today announces the selection of LUME Institute to serve the Eastern Region (St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles, Warren, Franklin, Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve and St. Francois Counties). LUME Institute, as Child Care Aware® of Eastern Missouri, will provide professional development to approximately 3,700 child care and early learning centers, family child care homes, and out-of-school-time programs throughout this eight-county region beginning July 1, 2011.

“This is a great opportunity for two innovative organizations to elevate professional development to new levels of quality,” says Sarah Kirschner, Board Chair at Child Care Aware® of Missouri. “LUME Institute takes a cutting edge view of educating teachers to prepare them for the future.”

Bob Gunthner, Board President of LUME Institute is equally excited: “It’s a terrific match and a win-win for both organizations because the goals of Child Care Aware of Missouri so closely match the goals and capabilities of LUME Institute.”

Dr. L. Carol Scott, Executive Director at Child Care Aware® of Missouri, speaks highly of Steve Zwolak, Chief Executive Officer at LUME, saying, “His passion for improving the quality of young children’s experiences will be a great contribution to our energy as a network.” Zwolak has more than 35 years of experience in early childhood education as a teacher, parent/family educator, program and school administrator, and a community leader, spending the last eleven years at University City Children’s Center.

“Our extraordinary team of experts is honored to have this opportunity to partner with Child Care Aware® of Missouri” says Zwolak. “As part of this statewide network, we look forward to expanding the impact of our innovative approach to developing teachers, children and families, changing the face of early childhood and youth development in the Eastern Region.”

Child Care Aware® of Missouri coordinates the activities and services of regional child care resource and referral agencies across all 115 counties in Missouri. Its mission is to connect families to child care, early learning and out-of-school-time programs; improve the quality of those programs; and collaborate with business and civic leaders to make child care safe and enriching for children. The organization is affiliated with the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). To learn more about Child Care Aware® of Missouri and its services, please visit our website. LUME Institute Stephen Zwolak szwolak@lumeinstitute.org 314-726-0148 lumeinstitute.org LUME Institute was founded by University City Children’s Center in 2008 with the purpose of delivering relevant, up-to-date professional development to early childhood educators. LUME works with educators and other industry leaders to research, develop, enhance and replicate early childhood concepts in their respective centers and broader communities.